Film Project: Stone Flowers

Loxlea Creative is excited and proud to be launching its first film production, Stone Flowers. Stone Flowers meshes the violent criminal world of a low socioeconomic environment and the impactful beauty of art. It explores how art can render the ugliest of things beautiful in its own way and how art can inspire all humans regardless of background or situation.

Title: Stone Flowers

Screenplay by: Laine Loxlea-Danann

Consultancy by: Tyrone Walsh

Genre: Gritty, Arthouse, Drama

Logline: Mandrake, a poetic soul, living a life of violence, is reunited with his childhood soulmate Magnolia. Shadowed by dark secrets, they fight for their love. Ultimately, can beauty save them?

Themes: The transformative power of Art and beauty. The artistic beauty of a violent world.

Synopsis: 

Mandrake Spade's life could have gone in a different direction; he had potential to become successful as a boxer, but his infamous temper - known as the Demon of Denim Street - has held him back. He still resides in The Gables, the same rundown flat he grew up in, under the control of criminal Gordon Renton. Writing a poetic novel about a girl he loves is Mandrake's greatest passion, but it also serves to demonstrate the meaninglessness of his life. That girl is Maggie Fairly, whose father had abandoned her and her mother when they were young, forcing them to leave The Gables and make their own way. Now, in her middle age, Maggie has returned to the same place with one goal in mind: to tell Mandrake the truth. Struggling with depression and anxiety, Maggie takes solace in her own artwork, which she taught herself. Mandrake's current role is that of Renton's lackey, making pickups and breaking thumbs, but he has been able to educate himself with the books he finds.

 

Renton is trying to raise money for his protégé, Davy Shaw, by engaging in deals with a criminal, Nash. Maggie unexpectedly reunites with Mandrake, whom she had not seen in 30 years, when she returns to the Gables. Both of them have a secret they cannot tell each other, which makes them want to be together even more. Mandrake is tricked into fighting his old friend, Jaxx Knight, in an illegal brawl and is forced to hurt him seriously. This act of violence has a great impact on Mandrake, who is overwhelmed by his own disgust and self-loathing. Maggie's terminally ill father, William, lies to her about Mandrake attacking him. Maggie does not believe this and orders Mandrake to stay away, which breaks his heart as all he desires is her love and acceptance. To take her mind off the pain, she paints William's apartment in a beautiful trompe-lóeil landscape.

 

After years of being apart and despairing, Mandrake and Maggie finally open up to one another, and Mandrake finally understands why Maggie had left years prior. It was because he had unknowingly made her pregnant, and her parents were horrified by the situation. In order to keep her from ruining her life, her mother arranged for her to have an abortion - an act that left Maggie with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder due to the intense guilt she felt for aborting their baby. However, Mandrake empathizes and is inspired by the words of James Joyce's Ulysses, and the two eventually find their way back to each other. Mandrake wants to make a beautiful home for them, just like the mural Maggie had painted, but his plans are interrupted when Renton schemes to frame him and manipulate him in order to stay in control. Mandrake discovers Renton's plot and confronts him, not knowing that he had taken Maggie hostage for protection.

 

Finally, Renton and Mandrake face each other on the grounds of the Gables for a violent and terrifying showdown. Having been broken by so much fighting, Mandrake crashes to the ground, being hit from behind by Renton. Renton believes him dead and tells his lackeys to dump Mandrake’s body in the dumpster. After being punched unconscious during the fight, Maggie comes to realising that Mandrake has disappeared. She confronts Renton and the two argue. Suddenly Renton’s door is smashed in and there stands Mandrake with a gun in his hand, ready to shoot Renton and Davie. Another violent fight ensues as Mandrake flips from consciousness to Demon. He overpowers Renton and is about to throw Renton off the top floor of the Gables when Maggie pleads with him to let Renton go. Being shocked by the possible outcome of murdering Renton, Mandrake comes to and tells Renton he's not going to let him make him a murderer. Renton, being freed but not satisfied, finds the gun, intending to shoot Mandrake from behind when Nash mounts the stairs with the intention of shooting Mandrake himself. Set between these two criminals Mandrake and Maggie dashed to the ground. And Renton and Nash and up. Making mincemeat of each other and pelleting each other with gunshots. Mandrake and Maggie are shocked, broken but together leave to find a better life inspired by art and beauty.